Pastafarian Allowed to Wear Strainer-Headgear in License Photo

Last Tuesday was a great day for Pastafarians everywhere. After three years, 19-year-old Austrian, Niko Alm, a self-professed Pastafarian, received his driver's license complete with the ID picture he wanted: One in which he is wearing a pasta strainer on his head.

Pastafarianism was founded in 2005 in response to the Kansas school board being pressured to teach intelligent design in biology class. It has since become a satirical movement against organized religion. The key character in Pastafarian doctrine is the Flying Spaghetti Monster, a pile of spaghetti and meatballs with antennae-like eyes who created the world while drunk, which accounts for the world's flawed design. Pastafarian heaven contains a giant beer volcano while hell contains a giant stale beer volcano. Every Friday is a holy day and prayers are ended with a declaration of "R'amen." The website of The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster states that the only dogma allowed "is the rejection of dogma."

Three years ago, Alm decided to wear the colander after reading that headgear was only allowed to be worn in photos for legal IDs for confessional purposes. He told Austrian authorities that wearing the strainer on his head was a requirement of his Pastafarian devotion and insisted he be allowed to wear it in the photograph. So, according to the BBC, authorities sent him off to a doctor to have his mental stability assessed. Tests came back saying that Alm was, in fact, sane. Austrian authorities said that the license was allowed only because Alm's face was visible not because of any religious reasons.

In honor of Pastafarians everywhere and this momentous achievement, we've rounded up some of our favorite spaghetti recipes.